TUUKKA TAPONEN

Tuukka Taponen

Born: 2006

Home: Lohja

Formula team: R-ace GP

Educator teams: Kohtala Sports, Tony Kart Racing Team, PREMA Team

Club: Keimola FK Club

Started karting: at the age of 2

Member of Flying Finn Academy national team since 2019

Member of Ferrari Driver Academy since 2023

Support athlete of the Finnish Olympic Committee's Top Sports Unit since 2023

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Tuukka started his international karting career with Kohtala Sports team in 2018 and in addition to several Finnish championships, he also won his first ever European Championship race in the team's colours in 2019 and fought for the European Championship until the last race. The founder and team manager of the team, Jussi Kohtala, is one of the most successful Finnish karting professionals, both on the track and as a team manager. Through Jussi's fingers e.g. Valtteri Bottas rose to success.

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Tuukka joined the Tony Kart Racing factory team in 2020 and drove the last 3 years of his karting career there, winning the World Championship and 2 World Championship silver medals. The Tonykart Racing Team worked closely with the Ferrari Driver Academy and Tuukka's progress was closely monitored before his final selection for the Ferrari Driver Academy at the end of the 2022 season.

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In 2023, Tuukka started his formula career with the Mumbai Falcon and Prema teams, becoming Vice Champion of the UAE Formula 4 series and winning the Rookie title in the same series. The first season of the formulas saw a total of 5 wins and 19 podium finishes.

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The 2024 journey continues in the Formula Regional category as a driver for the French R-ace GP team.

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2023 - Formula-4: UAE F4 2. / Italian F4 5. / Euro F4 5.

2022 - OK/KZ-classes: World Champion 2. / WSK Euro Series 3. / European Champion 6.

2021 - OK class: World Champion / European Champion 9. / WSK Open Cup 1. / Finnish Champion 1.

2020 - OKJ class: World Champion 2. / European Champion 3. / Finnish Champion 1.

2019 - OKJ class: European Champion 4. / Finnish Champion 1.

2018 - OKJ class: Finnish Champion 3.

2017 - Raket 95: Finnish Champion

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Goals for 2024 (Formula Regional):

• Formula Regional Middle East Championship series medal

• Formula Regional Middle East Championship Best Rookie Driver of the Series

• Formula Regional European Championship series medal

• Formula Regional European Championship Best Rookie Driver of the Series

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Long-term goals:

• Success in the Formula Regional Series 2024

• Success in the Formula 3 series 2025-2026

• Success in the Formula 2 series 2027-2028

• Formula 1 series in 2029

The goal is to be the next Finnish F1 World Champion!